FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to electrical connectors, and in particular to a new and useful method and apparatus for effecting an electrical clamping and connection of particularly communication wires in particular and to establishing a break contact flap facing such connectors.
A connecting strip similar to the invention is previously known from German Patent DE-OS No. 35 25 568. Here, the distance between break contact flaps of a connection element pair is formed by a separating rod of an insulating material, which rests on a lower transverse rib of the casing of the connecting strip. The use of a separating rod for generating the distance between the break contact flaps of the connecting element pair has, however, the disadvantage that the distance between the break contact flaps is a function of the factory size of the separating rod and the the distance between break contact flaps is a function of the factory size of the separating rod and the size break contact flaps, as well as of the size of the transverse rib serving as a contact surface for the separating rod. Since the separating rod rests on the transverse rib formed at the floor of the casing of the connecting strip, the distance between the break contact flaps depends also on their lengths.
Lastly, all connecting element pairs must be exactly alike and set into the connecting strip extremely precisely in order to obtain for all connecting element pairs the desired defined distance of the break contact flaps from each other.
Maintaining precisely the distance between the break contact flaps is required, according to VDE guide lines, since the insulation resistance specified hereby is not ensured if the distance is too small, and, since at too great a distance no reliable contact of a switch plug, in particular a test plug, plugged in between the break contact flaps is possible.